Photos of Local critters that I hate. Sometimes hate is good

[Molon Labe]

Have seen several of the cow killer ants (hornets) in my yard in the last couple weeks.
Them bastards are what you DON'T wanna be stung by. --- SAWMAN

I have not seen a cow killer in a long time. Back in my salad days, going barefooted, we saw a lot of them. Actually they are a female flightless wasp, sometimes called a velvet ant. If you get around some of the un-initiated, ask them what they know about cow killers, cow catchers, and cattle gaps.

 

[jettjon]

It is not just the shape of the head, but the narrow neck of the moccasin that accentuates the head shape. Some non-poisonous snakes will flattened their heads when agitated.

Yes, the hognose snake comes to mind immediately. They are interesting critters, indeed. For one, they are actually venomous but the venom is not harmful to humans. They also play dead.

Top 10 Eastern Hognose Snake Facts - A Very Dramatic Snake

The Eastern Hognose snake is a unique looking snake from the United States and Canada, with a passion for playing dead. Check out the article to learn more!

reptileworldfacts.com

 

[SAWMAN]

Helped my old farmer friend install a new cattle gap a couple weeks ago. Was 14' wide and super heavy.
He had a skid steer but lots of shovel work for fitting in the god awful hot sun.

SNAKE !! ( Just added that so I wouldn't be accused of another thread derail.) --- SAWMAN

 

[FrommerStop]

Helped my old farmer friend install a new cattle gap a couple weeks ago. Was 14' wide and super heavy.
He had a skid steer but lots of shovel work for fitting in the god awful hot sun.

SNAKE !! ( Just added that so I wouldn't be accused of another thread derail.) --- SAWMAN

i derail threads all of the time and this thread is a rather inclusive thread since it is about any critter that you hate or might think of hating. Democrats do not count lol.

Yes, the hognose snake comes to mind immediately. They are interesting critters, indeed. For one, they are actually venomous but the venom is not harmful to humans. They also play dead.

Top 10 Eastern Hognose Snake Facts - A Very Dramatic Snake

The Eastern Hognose snake is a unique looking snake from the United States and Canada, with a passion for playing dead. Check out the article to learn more!

reptileworldfacts.com

There have been recorded reactions by humans to bites of some hognose snake varieties. Basic rule is to never let any snake bit you.

https://www.timsreptiles.co.za/colubrids/hognose-snakes/are-western-hognose-snakes-venomous

Reactions to a Bite from a Western Hognose Snake


There are cases of Western Hognose Snakes bites causing mild allergic reaction, similar to a wasp or hornet sting. Reactions from a Western Hognose Snake bite are usually the result of the snake confusing fingers for food and the snake keeper watching his/her Hognose Snake chew his/her finger for several minutes usually while taking a video of the bite to put on Youtube. Western Hognose Snakes are small and the rear teeth are unlikely to Peirce your flesh with a quick defensive strike. A reaction from a Western Hognose Snake bite is very unlikely to involve a trip to the ER and any swelling or pain should disappear with a day or two.


How Western Hognose Snakes Feed


Western Hognose Snakes eat toads in the wild which do not fight back. The snake grasps the toad and begins chewing cutting open the toads flesh with its enlarged teeth. The toxic saliva drips into the wounds created by the rear teeth, subduing the prey. Pre-Killed mice should be fed to Western Hognose Snakes as an adult rodent could bite the snake while it is trying to chew in the slow acting toxic saliva

 

[Duckyou]

Water( cottonmouth) moccasin I believe. They come in several colors round cheer. --- SAWMAN

Cottonmouths are the only snake I have ever has chase me. It was duck season so it ended up getting some #4 tungsten or steel shot.

 

[Big Shrek]

I've only had to kill 3 snakes in the last 12 years,,,
any snake close enough to me when I've got a shovel in my hands,
ain't gonna get to survive long enough for me to find out what it is
until after it's dead.

 

[Molon Labe]

C

Cottonmouths are the only snake I have ever has chase me. It was duck season so it ended up getting some #4 tungsten or steel shot.

Cottonmouths are known to be aggressive. I had an uncle fishing in the Dead Lakes over at
Wewa years ago, when one dropped out of some spanish moss. My uncle shot the snake with his pistol, and put a .38 caliber hole in his boat. I pretty sure there was some ETOH involved.

 

[Just Lookin]

Have seen several of the cow killer ants (hornets) in my yard in the last couple weeks.
Them bastards are what you DON'T wanna be stung by. --- SAWMAN

I had a nest in my out building last year. I got stung twice until I finally found them. It looked like a cake hung upside down on a shelf. I have a full bee suit which I put on, walked in with three cans wasp spray and had a field day. They were huge. Went back next day finished off stragglers.

 

[big jon]

if you can see em poison snakes have cat eye pupils and non poison have round except the, coral snake it does have round pupils
and is in the cobra family

 

[Rebel_Rider1969]

Have seen several of the cow killer ants (hornets) in my yard in the last couple weeks.
Them bastards are what you DON'T wanna be stung by. --- SAWMAN

When I was very young I picked one up to pet it.... big mistake. Hey, was fuzzy like a puppy.

 

[MarkS]

I see very few cow killers on my place
We actually have a couple of blacksnakes that hang out around the sheds and use to see kingsnakes in the field but haven’t seen one in a few years. I’ve killed 2 rattlesnakes and 1 cottonmouth in the last 28 years, 1 rattler in 1992 and the last in 2003. The cottonmouth during a dry spell around 1997 at dusk after the wife spotted it under the clothesline as she went to check the clothes on the line. The cottonmouth was stalking a frog and the wife spotted it’s open mouth


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Krazy1]

I have not seen a cow killer in a long time. Back in my salad days, going barefooted, we saw a lot of them. Actually they are a female flightless wasp, sometimes called a velvet ant. If you get around some of the un-initiated, ask them what they know about cow killers, cow catchers, and cattle gaps.

They are in my yard frequently. One of my buddies was setting up a step ladder to clean out my gutters and put his hand on one. I've never seen a grown man in so much pain. You are correct, they are female wasps.

 

[FrommerStop]

They are in my yard frequently. One of my buddies was setting up a step ladder to clean out my gutters and put his hand on one. I've never seen a grown man in so much pain. You are correct, they are female wasps.

We use to have what were velvet ants when I lived in Gary, IN on what were old sand dunes. I have seen much larger ones down here. People said they would sting. I picked one up and when it stung me I threw it so far I away that I could not find it to stump on it.

"Gee, thanks! I was totally thinking about 'handling' that huge horrifying ant!" read one post.

According to Deborah Waller, an entomologist and associate professor at Old Dominion University, velvet ants fall in the Mutillidae wasp family. Males have wings, but the larger females don't. They look like hairy ants, and though they aren't considered aggressive, their defense is a formidable sting.




That brings us to its other colorful moniker: cow killer.

Waller said there's no evidence their venom has ever felled a bovine - the sting just hurts like it could. People with allergies could experience a stronger reaction, she added.

 

[Krazy1]

We use to have what were velvet ants when I lived in Gary, IN on what were old sand dunes. I have seen much larger ones down here. People said they would sting. I picked one up and when it stung me I threw it so far I away that I could not find it to stump on it.

View attachment 89511


"Gee, thanks! I was totally thinking about 'handling' that huge horrifying ant!" read one post.

According to Deborah Waller, an entomologist and associate professor at Old Dominion University, velvet ants fall in the Mutillidae wasp family. Males have wings, but the larger females don't. They look like hairy ants, and though they aren't considered aggressive, their defense is a formidable sting.




That brings us to its other colorful moniker: cow killer.

Waller said there's no evidence their venom has ever felled a bovine - the sting just hurts like it could. People with allergies could experience a stronger reaction, she added.

That's them. You don't just step on them, you got to grind them tough little bastards into the ground!!!

 

[capt.joe]

I have killed about 2 dozen cottonmouths in the last 12 months since we bought our new place. Even found a small one complete with the yellow tail 4 steps up on my pool deck! My daughter found it under her boogie board.

 

[FLT]

You younger guys , and older ones for that matter, should take note that female insects are the ones that bite and sting , female snakes and gators are the largest and most likely to bite you. It seems that there’s a pattern here. Just saying.——— LOL

 

[FrommerStop]

You younger guys , and older ones for that matter, should take note that female insects are the ones that bite and sting , female snakes and gators are the largest and most likely to bite you. It seems that there’s a pattern here. Just saying.——— LOL

On the female stinging insects, the stinger on the hymenoptera is derived from a modified sexual organ used to deposit eggs. In other case the females are blood suckers. Female mosquitoes to lay a full batch of eggs need a blood meal.

 

[MauserLarry]

Did I mention that I really hate snakes?

yep, but nobody really believed you!

 

[MauserLarry]

I can't believe nobody has posted a pic of an Armadillo yet.

 

[FrommerStop]

Nothing unusual about water moccasins here. I searched for several days for this one after first sighting it. It while not rapid, always moved fast enough so I could not get a good shot at it. Even after I have localized it under a wood pile that with a board, I flipped the cut logs off one at time a time off the rack so I could see the ground underneath. Even then I could not see it. finally I looked several times and found it. It blended so well that first couple of times I missed the coiled up snake. Not all of the snakes here are so drab. I have killed water moccasins that were much larger and brighter in color.

Fortunately the dogs were not bitten even though they sleep at the back door less thant 20 ft from where i killed it. They instinctively avoid water moccasins. Small snake, just molted because I found a skin in the wood pile. Maybe 18 inches. It never showed its white mouth until I started to smash it with the end of board.

ed for this rascal for a couple days after I first saw it out.